R.I. Senator Metts proposes raising income tax rate for top-earners

Wednesday

Jan 29, 2014 at 5:55 PM

PROVIDENCE, R.I. -- Advocates of a tax hike for Rhode island's "top-earners'' have renewed their drive to raise the top rate from 5.99 percent to 7.99 percent, to provide additional dollars for "early-childhood education.''

Katherine Gregg Journal Political Writer kathyprojo

PROVIDENCE, R.I. -- Advocates of a tax hike for Rhode island's "top-earners'' have renewed their drive to raise the top rate from 5.99 percent to 7.99 percent, to provide additional dollars for "early-childhood education.''

Sen. Harold M. Metts, a retired assistant principal at Providence's Central High School, introduced legislation on Wednesday to apply this surcharge to all taxable income above $250,000.

The bill would earmark the additional dollars raised by this surcharge to the federally-funded Head Start program in Rhode Island.

"Educational equality is as vital in our nation as is income equality," said Metts, D-Providence, in a statement issued by the General Assembly's press office. "We must pursue all avenues, and promote and fund all strategies that will give the very young a jump start on learning that will improve their opportunities for the rest of their lives."

As he explained the bill: "An individual with an income of $250,000 or less would still be taxed at the current 5.99 percent. An individual making $300,000, for instance, would be taxed at 5.99 percent on the first $250,000 and 7.99 percent on the remaining $50,000.''

"High income earners in Rhode Island may prefer not to pay more in taxes, but I think even they would have to acknowledge the value of giving a little more and knowing it is money that will be used with a specific and very valuable purpose -- helping youngsters learn and grow and have a better opportunity to succeed," Metts said.

Head Start is a federally funded program that "provides comprehensive early childhood education, health, nutrition and parent involvement services to low-income children and their families,'' according to the General Assembly press release. Head Start programs are available in Cranston, Johnston, Middletown, Wakefield, Warwick, Woonsocket and Providence and through the RI Department of Human Services.

Metts said his proposal was modeled on the efforts by New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio, who proposed raising taxes on city residents making over $500,00 and using the added revenue to pay for universal early-childhood education.